Flexible bracelet or the like



Jan. 26 1926. 1,570,932

E. l. ANDERSON ET AL FLEXIBLE BRACELET OR THE LIKE Filed May 22, 1924 Patented Jan. 26, 1926.

TENT FFECE.

UNITE STATES EMIL I. ANDERSON, OF NEW YORK, AND NILs E. ANDERSON, OF BRONX, NEW YORK.

FLEXIBLE BRACELET OR THE LIKE.

Application filed May 22,

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that we, EMIL I. Annunson and NILs E. ANDERSON, both citizens of the United States, residing, respectively, New

York city and Bronx, in the counties of New York and Bronx and State of New York, have invented a certain new and useful Flexible Bracelet or the like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention is especially directed to flexible bracelets but the structure thereof is well adapted to be used in conjunction wlth wrist watches and for analogous purposes.

It has heretofore been proposed to construct flexible bracelets by mounting a. plurality of units, known to the art as boxes, on a metal band. It has been suggested to have the opposite ends of the several boxes made complementarily male and female, so that when the boxes were assembled on the band, they would interlock wlth respect to one another.

Constructions of this character have not gone into general use, however, for the reason that they must be cast or formed by hand and in either event require considerable manual fitting in order to properly interlock. The cost of carrying out this work has been so excessive as to render structures of this character commercially impractical.

It has also been suggested to thread a succession of boxes on to a band and to spread or extend the band within each box to preclude longitudinal shifting of the boxes on the band. This operation is, however, difficult in practice as the boxes are usually fragile and an attempt to expand the band results in a rupture of atleast some of the boxes.

With the foregoing considerations n mind, the object of the present inventlon 1s to provide a bracelet or the like constructed from boxes assembled on a metallic band, but to position between each box an inde pendent member or bushing encircllng the band and held in position thereby and extending into slots formed in the contiguous ends of adjacent boxes and serving thereby to maintain the boxes in perfect alinement while concealing the band.

An important feature of the present invention resides in the fact that the elements of the bracelet construction may be made practically entirely by automatic machinery and may be assembled by relatively unskilled labor thereby greatly minimizing cost 1924. Serial No. 715,240.

ofproduction and at the same time producing a superior article Well able towithstand hard usage without breakage.

Features of the invention, other than those specified, will be apparent from the hereinafter detailed description and claims, when read in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.

The accompanying drawings illustrate one practical embodiment of the invention, but the construction therein shown, is to be understood as illustrative, only, and not as defining the limits of the invention.

Figure 1 is a perspective View showing a portion of the length of a bracelet or the l1k e embodying the present invention. In this view an intermediate portion of the length of the bracelet is shown.

Figure 1 is a perspective detail of terminal of the bracelet.

F lgure 2 is a longitudinal section ofa portion of the len 'th of the bracelet; and,

one

Figure 3 is a section on the line 33 of Figure 2.

In the preferred manner of making the bracelet of this invention, we employ as umts, boxes 1 which are well known to the trade, mod fylng these boxes as required for incorporation in our construction. Each box 1s substantially rectangular in contour, s provided with relatively heavy walls and 1s 0pen at one side. In Figure 1 one terminal box l is illustrated, and it will be understood that the other terminal box may be of like construction. Each of the other boxes 1 is provided in its opposite ends with a transverse slot 2 which may be in the form of a saw-cut and it will be noted from Figure 2 that this saw out is deep enough to extend entirely through the end walls of the box and 18 wide enough to receive a bushing 3 adapted to extend into the saw-cut for substantially one-half the length of the bushing.

l is a metallic band equal in width to substantially the inside width of the box and on this band the boxes are successively threaded after the manner of threading beads, with a bushing 3 slipped over the band between each two boxes. These bushings seat in the juxtaposed saw cuts of ad jacent boxes as is clear from Figures 1 and 2, so that when the boxes are forced tightly together and the opposite ends of the band 4; anchored in any suitable manner to the terminalboxes, the contiguous ends of adjacent boxes will abut one another and form the substantially continuous arrangement shown in the drawings.

The anchorage at the opposite ends of the band may be accomplished by soldering or in any other suitable manner but for the purpose of illustration, the terminal box 1 is shown as provided with a slot of substantially the same cross section as the metallic band and the band after being passed through this slot, is bent as shown at l and soldered in place. It will of course be understood that a clasp or any other suitable attaching means may be associated with the box 1*, preferably by soldering it to the free end thereof, and a similar arrangement is carried out at the opposite end of the bracelet.

In constructing the bracelet as described, the slots 2 are made of such size as to fit the bushings 3 with a fairly tight fit while the bushings are of such size as to also fit the metallic band t with a relatively tight lit. This will result in a snug joint between the consecutive links which will maintain the alinement of the units in a direction perpendicular to the face of the metallic band. The band however is of such width as to have a good fit with the interior of the boxes and thus maintains transverse alinement. When thus assembled, it is found that there is just sufficient lost motion between the slots 2 and the bushing, and between the bushings and the band to allow of suflicient bending of the construction to enable it to encircle the wrist but to insure of this bending without imposing undue strain on the construction. The lower half of each end wall of the box is slightly tapered as shown at 5, so as to permit of this bending without pronounced leverage action which would tend to set up excessive tension on the band 4. These tapered or cut away portions 5, moreover, enable the bracelet to be wrapped around the wrist without appreciably separating the exposed outer faces of the boxes, so that when worn, the outer face of the bracelet will appear to be substantially continuous.

The boxes are preferably constructed from the precious metals and, in practice, bushings 3 and band a are also constructed of the same metals. Moreover, the boxes are Y usually ornamented in a manner suitable to carry out the desired design and one or more jewels or precious stones may be set in each box. For the purpose of illustration, a hole 6 is shown in each box to provide for the setting of adiamond and in order to insure proper lighting effects and to provide for cleaning, the band 4 is provided with juxtaposed perforations 7. The invention is not however limited to the employment of these perforations.

The two end blocks, when designed for use as a bracelet, may be provided with any well-known or approved form of clasp to join the same to unite the ends into a circlet or bracelet.

In the preferred practical embodiment of the invention, the rectangular boxes, which have been described and which are well known to the trade, are preferably employed. VVTG are aware, however, that in the more ornate bracelets. the shape of the units 1 may be varied without departing from the invention, which, broadly stated, consists in the employment of suitable links threaded upon a metallic band and with the adjacent ends of each of which two units cooperates a metallic bushing to maintain proper alinement.

Attention is directed to the fact that the metallic band 4 will not stretch and that since its ends are anchored at the terminal units, the length of the bracelet will be fixed and determined indefinitely and the successive links will be maintained in end abutting relation. Any suitable metal may be employed in the making of this bracelet, but the precious metals such as platinum, gold and silver are generally used.

An important feature of the invention resides in the fact that there is no solder connections between the successive units and that the only soldering that may be required is to properly anchor the ends of the band. This is an important consideration from a practical standpoint as it minimizes labor with incident expense and moreover eliminates the weakness inherent in the use of solder in a connection between relatively movable parts.

The drawings show the invention in its preferred practical form, but it is to be understood that the invention is as broadly novel as is commensurate with the appended claims.

Having thus fully described the invention, what we desire to claim and secure by Letters Patent is:

1. A bracelet or the like embodying a pin, rality of hollow boxes positioned end to end and each of which is provided across both of its ends with transverse slots extending entirely across the box, a tubular bushin positioned within the adjoining slots of each two adjacent boxes with the opposite exposed edges of the bushings substantially flush with the corresponding edges of the boxes, and a metallic band extending through the boxes and bushings and of a width substantially equal to the interior widths of the boxes and bushings.

2. A bracelet or the like embodying a plurality of hollow boxes positioned end to end and each of'which is provided across each of its ends with a. transverse slot extending entirely across the box and of greater depth than the thickness of the corresponding end the boxes, and the interior of the bushings open to the interiors of adjacent boxes to form, wlth the lnterlors of such boxes, a

= continuous passage throughout the length of a bracelet, and a metallic band extending longitudinally through the consecutive boxes and interposed bushings and of a width substantially equal to the interior widths of the boxes and bushings.

3. A bracelet or the like embodying a plu- .rality of stamped hollow substantially rectangular boxes positioned in end abutting relation, and each of which is provided across both of its ends with transverse slots extending entirely across the boxes, a substantially rectangular tubular bushing positioned within the adjoining slots of each two adjacent boxes with the exposed edges of the bushings substantially flush with the edges of the boxes, and the ends of the bushings seating against the blind ends of the slots in the boxes, and a metallic band extending through the consecutive boxes and interposed bushings, said band being of a width substantially equal to the interior width of the boxes and the interior width of the. tubular bushings.

4?. A bracelet or the like embodying a plurality of boxes positioned end to end and each of which is provided across both of its ends with transverse slots extending en tirely across the box, a tubular bushing positioned within the adjoining slots of each two adjacent boxes, said bushings being of a width substantially equal to the width of the boxes, and of a length adapting the opposite ends of each bushing to normally seat against the blind ends of the corresponding juxtaposed slots, and a metallic band passed through the consecutive boxes and interposed bushings, said metallic band functioning as a bezel to impart finished appearance to the back of the bracelet.

In testimony whereof we have signed the foregoing specification.

EMIL I. ANDERSON. NILS E. ANDERSON. 

